Lavatory perfumer



June 27, 1967 A. J. ROGER LAVATORY PERFUMER Filed April 20, 1965 INVENTOR ALBERT J ROGER TORNEYS United States Patent 3,327,325 LAVATURY PERFUMER Albert J. Roger, 5260 E. 12th St., Oakland, Calif. 94501 Filed Apr. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 449,519 7 (Ilaims. (Ql. 4-227) This invention relates to apparatus for imparting a pleasant fragrant odor to a bathroom or other room in which a toilet is contained, each time the toilet is flushed.

Various means have been employed heretofore to perfume lavatories, bathrooms, and the like. Such means have generally depended upon the addition of perfume to the water filling the bowl of a boilet, or to the Water filling the flush tank, and as a result the perfume dissolved in the water is relatively dilute. The amount of perfume odor delivered to the bathroom, or the like, is thus limited by virtue of the diluting effect of the water. Advantages are of course to be gained where the perfume odor is introduced directly to the air in the bathroom, particularly if a substantial concentration or quantity of the perfume odor is released to the air immediately subsequent to the flushing of a toilet.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a bathroom perfumer which is arranged to deliver a heavy concentration of fragrant perfume odor directly to the surrounding air immediately subsequent to the flushing of a toilet.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a perfumer unit which may be readily installed on a conventional toilet.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a toilet pcrfumer of the class described which may be readily arranged to permit filling of the perfume reservoir thereof from the outside of the unit without requirement of removing a cap or the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a toilet perfumer unit of the class described which is relatively simple and economical in construction.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a perfumer unit in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken in a vertical plane through the tank of a toilet illustrating the installation of the perfumer unit of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view with portions broken away of the perfumer unit as installed in the toilet tank.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 4, but illustrating a modified form of the perfumer unit.

Referring now to the drawing, there will be seen to be provided a toilet perfumer 11 which is arranged for ready mounting within the tank 12- of a conventional toilet which includes a generally rectangular marginal side Wall 13 and rectangular lid 14 with depending marginal flange 16 arranged to be supported upon the upper edge of the side wall. More particularly, the perfumer 11 includes a preferably cylindrical cup shaped reservoir 17 for containing liquid perfume concentrate, as indicated at 18, and this reservoir is adapted for support within the tank 12 above the normal water level thereof. In this regard the reservoir 17 may be advantageously provided with a pair of support hooks 19, 21 at its upper end at 90 angularly 3,327,325 Patented June 27, I967 spaced positions for engagement with the upper edges of right angular related portions of the side wall 13, as best shown in FIGURE 3. With the perfumer 11 thus supported within the tank 12 by means of the hooks 19, 21, the lid 14 rests upon the hooks such that a slight crack 22 exists between the lid and the upper edge of side Wall 13. This crack serves to vent the interior of the tank to the exterior surroundings of the bathroom, or the like.

At the upper end of the cup shaped reservoir 17 there is provided a hollow cylindrical housing 23, which in the embodiment of FIGURES 1-4 also serves as a removable cover to the reservoir. In this regard, the upper end of the reservoir may be advantageously provided with an outwardly stepped enlarged portion including an outwardly flared annular support shoulder 24 with marginal cylindrical lip 26 upstanding therefrom. The housing 23 is received within the enlarged portion, the housing being supported upon the shoulder 24 and being peripherally engaged by lip 26. Thus, the housing may be readily removed from the reservoir to afford access to the interior thereof for purposes of refilling, or the like.

The housing 23 is formed with a hollow boss 27 defining a cylindrical chamber 28 overlying the cylindrical chamber 29 defined within the housing. A turbine 31 is coaxially disposed Within chamber 28 and is rotatable therein. A shaft 32 depends from the turbine 31 through the upper wall of the housing 23 into fixed connection with a fan 33 coaxially disposed within the chamber 29. The fan is thus rotatable with the turbine and serves to suck perfume odor from the interior of the reservoir 17 into the chamber 29 through a central opening 34 in the bottom wall of housing 23. A vent 35 is provided in the reservoir 17 for the intake of air into the reservoir upon the perfume odor being sucked from the reservoir. The perfume odor sucked into the chamber 29 is directed by the fan out of the chamber through an annular slot 36 in the top wall of the housing. Thus, when the fan is rotated by the turbine 31, the perfume odor from the reservoir is directed through opening 34, chamber 29, and slot 36 to the interior of tank 12. The chamber 29 and shoulder 24 have registering apertures 40 for the drainage to the tank 12 of any perfume concentrate or water that should happen to get in chamber 29.

Driving of turbine 31 is preferably facilitated by means of parallel inlet and outlet flow ports 37 and 38 extending inwardly through housing 23 into substantially tangential communication with chamber 29 at angularly spaced positions thereof. Inlet port 37 is provided with a nipple 37a which is coupled by means of a flexible hose 37b to the filler tube 39 of the float controlled valve 42 conventionally provided Within the tank 12 of the toilet. In this regard, the valve 42 is typically communicably mounted upon the upper end of a water inlet pipe 43 which extends vertically upward within the tank from the base thereof. In addition, a tank fill pipe 44 depends from the valve to a point adjacent the bottom of the tank. In the usual installation of a toilet the filler tube 39 of valve 42 is communicated with an overflow pipe 46 which extends vertically upward from the base of the tank to a position above the normal water level therein. When the toilet is flushed in res onse to turning of the handle 47, conditions are established to communicate the tank with the toilet bowl, communicate the bowl with the sewer line, and turn valve 42 on. Thus, the water in the tank is delivered to the bowl and in turn to the sewer line. Simultaneously, water is delivered from the filler tube through pipe 46 to the bow. When the Water level in the tank decreases to a predetermined level, the float associated with valve 42 blocks communication between the bowl and sewer line, and between the tank and the bowl. Valve 42 remains on such that Water delivered from pipe 44 fills the tank while water from the filler tube 39 fills the bowl. When the water in the tank reaches a second predetermined level, the float shuts the valve 42 ofl to thus complete the flushing cycle. It will be appreciated that during the entire cycle, water flows out of filler tube 39. As noted previously, however, in accordance with the present invention the filler tube is connected to thev inlet port 37 of the perfumer unit. In order that the normal functions of the toilet be maintained during the flushing cycle, the outlet port 38 is communicated, as by means of a nipple 38a and flexible hose 48, with the overflow pipe 46. Thus, water from the filler tube is still delivered to overflow pipe 46 during a flushing cycle, although the water drives the turbine 31 in the process. It will he therefore appreciated that the turbine is rotated during the entire flushing cycle.

Considering now the operation of the perfumer unit of the present invention, upon the initiation of a flushing cycle of the toilet by actuating the handle 47, the turbine 31 is driven by the water flowing from the filler tube of valve 42 to the overflow pipe 46. The fan 33 is consequently rotated to deliver odor from the perfume concentrate 18 in reservoir 17 to the interior of the tank 12 via slot 36. Moreover, the decreasing level of water in the tank creates a partial vacuum therein which assists in sucking the perfume odor into the tank. Now, when the water level rises, the perfume odor is forced out of the tank through the crack 22 to the toilet surroundings within the bathroom or the like.

A modified form of perfumer is illustrated in FIGURE 5. As a particularly important feature of this embodiment, the reservoir 17 is provided with an enlarged portion 49 adjacent one hook I9, and an inlet passage 51 extends downwardly from the upper end of the enlarged portion into communication with the upper end of the reservoir interior. As a result, the perfume concentrate 18 may be introduced to the reservoir through the passage 51 Without the requirement of removal of the housing 23. Moreover, the passage 51 provides a vent for the intake of air to reservoir 17 when perfume odor is being sucked from the reservoir. Thus, in this embodiment, no vent 35 in the reservoir is necessary. As a further feature of this embodiment, a baflle 52 projects upwardly from housing 23 adjacent the inner edge of slot 36. The baffle 52 is appropriately curved to direct the perfume odor upwardly towards the crack 22. In this manner, the perfume odor is more effectively dispensed to the surroundings through the crack It will be evident that the device of my invention is of a design which can be manufactured at a low cost. For instance, the housing 23 may be formed of one piece to include the turbine and fan units as well as the connections therefor. Furthermore, such design lends itself to manufacture of the device of a light material such as plastic. This is particularly important in respect to the turbine 31 and fan 33, since high speed rotation can thereby be effected with relatively low water pressure.

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet perfumer comprising a reservoir for containing perfume concentrate adapted for support within the tank of a toilet, fan means carried by said reservoir for delivering perfume odor to said tank upon rotation of the fan means, hydraulic turbine means carried by said reservoir and coupled to said fan means for rotating same, and means for coupling said turbine means to a water supply of said tank for driving said turbine means with water from said supply.

2. In a toilet having a tank, a water supply pipe within the tank, a tank fill pipe within the tank, a float controlled valve within the tank and communicably connecting the supply pipe and said fill pipe, said valve having a filler tube and being opened in response to actuation of a flush cycle initiating means, and an overflow pipe within said tank, the combination comprising a reservoir for containing perfume concentrate, means supporting said reservoir within said tank, fan means carried by said reservoir for delivering perfume odor therefrom to said tank upon rotation of the fan means, hydraulic turbine means carried by said reservoir and coupled in rotary driving relation to said fan means, said turbine means having inlet and outlet ports for the inlet and outlet of water for driving the turbine means, and means communicably connecting said inlet port of said turbine means to said filler tube and said outlet port of said turbine means to said overflow pipe.

3. The combination of claim 2, further defined by means defining an inlet passage extending from the exterior to the interior of said reservoir for the introduction of perfume concentrate thereto.

4. A toilet perfumer comprising a cylindrical cupshaped reservoir for containingperfume concentrate and adapted for support within the tank of a toilet, housing means carried by said reservoir for refining a first chamber communicating with the interior of said reservoir and a second chamber, said housing means having an exterior outlet opening therein communicating with said first chamber, said housing means having water inlet and outlet ports communicating with said second chamber, a fan disposed within said first chamber to suck perfume odor from said reservoir and deliver same through said outlet opening in response to rotation of the fan, and a turbine mounted for rotation within said second chamber and connected in driving relation to said fan.

5. A toilet perfu-rmer according to claim 4,'furthe-r defined by a baflie mounted upon said housing adjacent said outlet opening and curved to direct perfume odor upwardly and outwardly toward the marginal side wall of said tank.

6. A toilet perfurmer according to claim 4, further defined by said reservoir having a passage extending from the exterior to the interior thereof.

7. In a toilet having a tank, a water supply pipe within said tank, a tank fill pipe within said tank, a float controlled valve within said tank and communicably connecting said supply pipe and said fill pipe, said valve having a filler tube and being opened in response to actuation of a flush cycle initiating means, and an overflow pipe within said tank, the combination comprising a cylindrical cup shaped reservoir for containg perfume concentrate and having support hook means engaging the upper edge of the marginal side wall of said tank, a hollow cylindrical housing secured in closing relation to said reservoir and defining a chamber, said housing having an opening communicating said chamber with the interior of said reservoir, said housing having a slot communicating with said chamber, said housing having a boss defining a second cylindrical chamber overlying the first chamber, said boss having parallel inlet and outlet ports communicating with said second chamber in substantially tangential relation thereto, a fan rotatably disposed within said first chamber, a turbine rotatably disposed within said second chamber and connected'in driving relation to said fan, and means connecting said filler tube of said valve to said inlet port of said boss and said outlet port of said boss to said overflow pipe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 728,448 5/ 1908 Donovan 4-214 2,993,214 7/1961 Franco 4-228 3,105,245 10/1963 'Finkbinder 4228 3,130,246 4/1964 Banks 239-216 X LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. I. GROSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A TOILET PERFUMER COMPRISING A RESERVOIR FOR CONTAINING PERFUME CONCENTRATE ADAPTED FOR SUPPORT WITHIN THE TANK OF A TOILET, FAN MEANS CARRIED BY SAID RESERVOIR FOR DELIVERING PERFUME ODOR TO SAID TANK UPON ROTATION OF THE FRAN MEANS, HYDRAULIC TURBINE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID RESERVOIR AND COUPLED TO SAID FAN MEANS FOR ROTATING SAME, AND MEANS FOR COUPLING SAID TURBINE MEANS TO A WATER SUPPLY OF SAID TANK FOR DRIVING SAID TURBINE MEANS WITH WATER FROM SAID SUPPLY. 